Ellen Benediktson
Swedish artist Ellen Benediktson is entering a fearless new era. After an early breakthrough that left her overwhelmed and disconnected, she’s now reclaiming her voice with clarity, confidence, and zero filters.
Her latest single “Jealousy”, out now, taps into one of the most uncomfortable — yet universal — emotions, turning vulnerability into strength. With her upcoming EP WID4L dropping on May 15th, Ellen Benediktson leans fully into instinct over perfection, embracing raw honesty and artistic freedom like never before.
Photo credit: Jolina Elish
Hi Ellen, how are you? What's your story?
I’m great, summer’s coming, and 2026 has already been really exciting. Short story: I’m a girl from Sweden who always wanted to be in music. I got “discovered” at 18 and was chosen to compete in the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest, which gave me my big break. It was extremely overwhelming, so I completely shut down, didn’t make music for a long time, and was generally really lost. Then in 2022, I started making my EP Good Girl, and suddenly I was back. Now I’ve just come home from my first show in Europe and I’m preparing for my second EP release, feeling extremely grateful and excited that I get to do this. There’s a lot more to say, but let’s cap it here haha…
How would you describe where you are right now, both personally and artistically?
I’m in a really good place. I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. It took me a while to find my place as an artist, and I got really confused along the way. But now I feel like I’ve found my way back, like I kept searching for something new when really I should’ve been looking back instead. I had it all along, it just got a little twisted. It feels really freeing.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process behind your new single "Jealousy”?
At the time, I wasn’t in a great place, and I was comparing myself a lot to everyone else. It made me want to confront those feelings even more. Jealousy is so human, but it’s not really something that gives you anything, it just holds you back. I brought the lyrics and idea to the studio, and we started playing around with sounds. It was a really fun process where we kinda just experimented, but also had a lot of deep talks about insecurities. I love sessions like that.
”Jealousy” is such a raw and uncomfortable emotion to explore — what made you want to confront it so directly in this song?
It’s like a way of processing, you know? Step one of getting rid of a bad habit is admitting it to yourself, and then saying it out loud.
You describe jealousy as something “ugly” and even embarrassing — was it difficult to be that honest and exposed in your writing?
I write with my friends, so in the moment it just kinda felt nice, like therapy with a friend, you know? And then when the song is done and polished up, it kinda becomes something different, like it’s more than just you, which makes it easier to share with the world. But yeah, I was feeling a little self-conscious that people might think I’m really pathetic haha…
There’s a strong theme of emotional impulsivity in your work. Do you see your music as a way to process those impulses, or to embrace them?
I definitely spent a lot of my early 20s embracing my impulses, not always in a healthy way… Over time I realized that I gravitate to being reactive rather than responsive and writing about it became a way to process it, which was way healthier.
You mention the conflict between wanting to celebrate others and feeling left behind. How do you personally navigate that tension?
I talk about it when those feelings come up and acknowledge them. I also journal a lot, that forces my brain out of unhealthy habits and helps me focus on the positives instead of the negatives. Writing things down is honestly so underrated. It really does help with so much anxiety and self-doubt.
Your upcoming EP WID4L seems to revolve around instinct over logic — what does trusting your instincts look like for you in your creative process?
Following my gut is always important. If something feels good, don’t overthink it. Also trusting my own taste. At the end of the day, art and music are about taste. There are no rules or right and wrong. If someone doesn’t like it, then we just have different tastes, and that’s fine.
Visually, the color red plays a strong role in this era. What does it symbolize for you beyond the obvious associations?
The red shows up in different ways through the singles leading up to the EP, and it symbolizes a flow and untapped potential. Being held back, to almost within reach, to finally unleashing it all.
Artists like Lady Gaga, Hayley Williams and Miley Cyrus have influenced you — what have you taken from them in terms of identity and artistic freedom?
Pushing boundaries, being fearless in music and identity, and creating a safe space with inclusivity and love.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
We need more people who dare to take a chance on new artists. So many people in the industry want already-made artists and aren’t willing to put in the work to develop someone from the start. Artists are working so hard, we’re everything from singers and songwriters to social media managers and PR agents today. And in many ways that’s cool, because we have a lot of control and understand how things work. But at the same time, it’s kind of unreal that big labels want to step in and take a piece of the cake when we’ve done all the heavy lifting. That feels unfair. And it also feels boring, like I thought A&R’s were like passionate about finding new talents?
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
The hardest part is staying on track when things are going slow, like continuing to believe and chip away at your dream. That can be really tough sometimes. The best part is when people connect with the music, on socials, live or just seeing people add it to their playlists.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
Things won’t turn out the way you expect, so just go with the flow.
What's next for you?
My EP WID4L is out May 15th, and I’m having a release show to celebrate it in Stockholm. I’m also writing for my album and planning more upcoming shows in Europe.
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